


i run (therefore i am)

by kayteedancer



Series: November Challenge [17]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Character Study, F/M, Fluff, Not Avengers: Age of Ultron (Movie) Compliant, Physical Therapy, Pietro Maximoff Lives, Running
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-18
Updated: 2017-11-18
Packaged: 2019-02-03 20:52:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,169
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12755997
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kayteedancer/pseuds/kayteedancer
Summary: Pietro had toddled on unsteady legs, had panted through lungs that didn’t remember how to breathe anymore. He had limped, then plodded, then walked, then jogged. He had not used his power because Dr. Cho told him if he used it too early he may never get back to his previous speed, let alone exceed it.And today, today was the day he had been looking forward to forso many months.Today, he wouldrun.





	i run (therefore i am)

**Author's Note:**

> I just keep posting these later and later... Hi everyone! I have Day 17 for you!
> 
> The prompt for today was: _“Look, I said I was sorry. What more could you want?” “Maybe some help to the nearest hospital?!”_
> 
> And due to my abiding hatred for the loss of Pietro in Age of Ultron, I thought that it would be only fair to not only bring him back, but to pair him off with our favorite snarky assistant too :D  
> It’s fluffy, folks.  
> Not super fluffy; it ended up with a lot of character-study, but there is the beginning of fluff! Pre-fluff?
> 
> Anyway, a huge, massive, enormous thank you to everyone that has read, commented, and left kudos on my stories! Your reactions really do help keep me sane and wanting to write, so thank you thank you **THANK YOU**!
> 
> My tumblr (sleepeatdancedream) is always open if you want to come talk about any of the stories I’ve written so far, fandoms you want to geek out about, prompts you may want to leave... ;) Come say hi!
> 
> I hope you enjoy this addition to my November Challenge!
> 
> Title is a quote by Haruki Murakami.

The sky was a bright, cloudless blue. A light breeze trickled through the grounds and cooled his flushed cheeks. Brushing silver hair out of his eyes, Pietro turned his face up to the sun, reveling in the warmth as he inhaled deeply.

He had almost died in Sokovia. It was a truth that had forced him to tears when he woke up in a prototype of Helen Cho’s Cradle. He had not expected to make it out of the battle against Ultron alive, had expected to die in the country he had had grown up in.

Waking up afterwards had been a welcome surprise. He could see his sister again, could be a _part_ of something that helped people instead of hurt them.

Learning that he would have to undergo physical therapy even with the use of the prototype cradle had been a much less welcome surprise.

Growing up, Pietro was always running. He was good at it too; fast with long, even strides. It had become an escape after the bomb had dropped on he and his sister and he had resorted to stealing and petty theft to keep food in their mouths.

To suddenly not be able to do what had come to him as naturally as breathing? It was _devastating_.

But he had done it. Pietro had toddled on unsteady legs, had panted through lungs that didn’t remember how to breathe anymore. He had limped, then plodded, then walked, then jogged. He had not used his power because Dr. Cho told him if he used it too early he may never get back to his previous speed, let alone exceed it.

And today, today was the day he had been looking forward to for _so many months_.

Today, he would _run_.

It would be normal running still, no enhancement about it. But even so, Pietro felt something in his chest sing at being on the track, at being under the open sky and away from the fluorescent lights of the medical wing.

He grinned like the child he hadn’t been for so long, rocking from his toes to his heels as Dr. Cho’s assistant finished droning on about what he should be careful for and wary of and _if his lungs started feeling like this he should stop immediately..._

Pietro nodded emphatically as the assistant’s spiel came to an end. He focused on his breathing as Dr. Cho’s assistant walked to the side of the track.

3...2...1...

_Go_.

He let out a whoop of joy as he practically leapt from the starting line, feet pounding the track beneath him. It was happening; he was running! He felt himself begin to settle into a rhythm. It was different than the one he had before, his strides were slightly shorter, his heart pounded a little harder, but he could work with this! _God_ , he was running again! He felt like he could _fly_!

He felt so good, he thought he might be able to push a little bit, maybe use just a smidge of his enhancement, Dr. Cho would probably never know -

Suddenly, Pietro collided with something and hit the ground hard, skidding slightly. Air escaped his lungs in a shocked huff as a pained yelp rang through the air. Searching out the reason for the sound, Pietro scrambled up from his prone position and crawled over to the other form.

“I am so sorry! I didn’t see you there,” he started only to be cut off by a sharp, pained laugh.

The other form sat up, clutching its ankle in a white-knuckled grip, and Pietro felt his mouth go dry.

The woman glared at him with eyes the color of the sky, dark hair spilling from her messy ponytail, and sweat clinging to her full upper lip. She was gorgeous.

And apparently saying something.

“Hey, Asshole, are you even listening? You’ve got to pay attention to where you’re going. You totally took me out!” she yelled and Pietro felt anger rise within him.

“Look, I said I was sorry. What more could you want?” he retorted, anger thickening his accent.

“Maybe some help to the nearest hospital?!” she growled through gritted teeth. “I think you broke my ankle, you idiot!”

Pietro felt his anger cool abruptly and remorse take its place.

“I am so sorry, Miss, of course. I’ll be right back,” he rambled, getting to his feet and sprinting back toward where he had started.

He _may_ have used a tiny bit of his enhancement. But he had left that woman in obvious pain, so he thought the risk justified.

Upon reaching the assistant, Pietro skidded to a halt, demanding he call the in-house EMTs because a woman had possibly broken her ankle. Without another word, he turned and sprinted back to the woman, trusting the assistant would send the EMTs to his wrist-tracker.

It was a solid black band of metal that monitored his vital signs and made sure everything was functioning normally. Pietro was under no illusions that it also acted as a tracking device.

Stumbling to a halt by the woman’s side once more, Pietro panted as he told her the EMTs were coming. She nodded shortly, face white with pain, and they settled in to wait.

Once the EMTs got there, Pietro faded into the background as the woman’s ankle was confirmed broken. They helped her to sit on the back of their vehicle, and Pietro slid toward her smoothly.

The woman looked him up and down, her face no longer as wan as the painkillers kicked in.

“I just want to apologize again,” he said, looking away from her and rubbing the back of his neck uncomfortably. “I did not see you there and am sorry for the pain I caused you.”

A tired smile came to the woman’s lips.

“Well, I won’t say ‘no harm, no foul’ because obviously...” she gestured at her wrapped ankle. “But apology accepted,” she continued. “Just try to look where you’re going next time.”

Pietro nodded jerkily and silence stretched awkwardly between them. “My name is Pietro,” he blurted finally. The woman’s eyebrow raised and he felt his cheeks heat in an embarrassed blush.

“If you need any help while you recovery, please don’t hesitate to call on me, Miss...?”

“Darcy. Darcy Lewis,” she replied. “And I may just take you up on that, Pietro.”

Pietro smiled and nodded again, turning to go find Dr. Cho’s assistant. He had to find out when he was running again.

Maybe Dr. Cho would even approve the use of his enhancement! After all, other than being more tired than normal, using it hadn’t seemed to leave him with any adverse effects. And if she said yes, he could run to that place in Bed-Stuy Clint raved about and get Darcy some gomboce sa šljivama.

He just hoped she liked plums. And if she didn’t, he would continue bringing her desserts until she couldn’t be mad at him anymore. Or until her ankle healed. Whichever came first.


End file.
